The Rule of law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), has expressed deep concern over the human rights violations that occur within Nigeria’s detention centers.
On Wednesday, June 26, to mark the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, RULAAC’s director Okechukwu Nwaguma issued a press statement that drew attention to the systemic human rights abuses within Nigeria’s detention facilities.
The statement highlighted the urgent need for concrete action to prevent further mistreatment of detainees, whose basic human rights and dignity are being violated with impunity.
The statement read in part, “Reports from human rights organizations have indicated that torture and other forms of ill-treatment still occur in detention facilities and other security agencies in Nigeria.
“Today, June 26, 2024, is the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture. Observed every year on June 26, the day was first observed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1997 to raise awareness about the suffering of people who undergo torture.”
“RULAAC is concerned about the level of commitment and compliance by the Nigerian government to its obligations under the Convention against Torture (CAT) and the Optional Protocol to the CAT (OpCAT),” it said.
“Nigeria ratified the CAT in 2001 and the OpCAT in 2007. Succcive periodic reviews of member states’ compliance with their obligations under the CAT and OpCAT and other regional and international human rights legal standards repeatedly show that Nigeria has not done enough to implement the provisions of these treaties.” the statement added.
RULAAC went on to emphasize that Nigeria must adopt concrete measures to put an end to torture and other forms of ill-treatment.
RULAAC also demanded accountability for perpetrators of torture and other human rights violations, stressing that those responsible for these heinous acts must be brought to justice. The organization underscored the need for effective prosecution and punishment of these crimes, emphasizing that failure to do so not only perpetuates a culture of impunity but also severely undermines the rule of law and the credibility of Nigeria’s justice system.
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